Comments on: More Michigan – Funky Rubber Room!

By: Linda/Retired Teacher

Linda/Retired Teacher — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:42:49 +0000

Deborah:

Too bad so many people lack your analytical thinking skills!

Linda

By: Deborah Meier

Deborah Meier — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:41:51 +0000

If an employee is labeled incompetent or worse, I assume there is specific information that exists and can be used to back up such charges. If so–then how come they aren’t fired? And if they’re not incompetent but just not easy to get hired elsewhere, could the fact that they are on a higher salary scale a possible reason for the dilemma they face?

In short, how can we distinguish a legitimate process for eliminating teachers who should not be teachers from teachers whose principals don’t like them or would prefer to hire two cheaper teachers in their place? Until we have a “system” in place capable of dealing with such questions, it strikes me as odd to keep talking about these human beings in such a demeaning manner.

Deborah

By: Stephen Smyth

Stephen Smyth — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:34:50 +0000

The Rubber Room approach hasn’t worked too well in New York City – not sure why Detroit would have different outcome http://bit.ly/5JYzIx

By: CJ Westerberg

CJ Westerberg — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:04:39 +0000

Linda,

There are many factors at play and many things that need to be addressed. For a bigger picture context, you may want to check out
http://bit.ly/74wKUB These scenarios are so beyond the point of protecting turf and one-dimensional “blame throwing.” Meanwhile,
the kids are on the side-lines – maybe it’s time for adults to grow up.

By: John Danner

John Danner — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:53:45 +0000

I think Linda’s reply is the downside of these High Priority Zones. However, that cost may be worth creating the flexibility needed to staff those schools correctly. It would actually be fantastic if the federal government focused some legislative effort on low-income schools (title I schools) to push hiring/firing flexibility. Those of us who’ve spent a long time in these schools know that schools which reach the federal “failing” designation often are a result of years of inability to make serious changes to school staffing. Can we get ahead of the game and get the flexilibity early so that we don’t get into the drastic restructuring later? Now that we’re all serious about the fact that somewhere north of 5000 schools in this country are in serious need of a turn-around, we also have to think about how to prevent the next 5000 from getting there.

By: Sherman Dorn

Sherman Dorn — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:36:27 +0000

Bobb had enormous emergency authority and chose to work with Johnson, who put his position on the line with the agreement. Ms. Arellano, do you really think Johnson could have made an agreement that was any better and have his members approve it? Do you think Bobb should have chosen bankruptcy, along with even further destruction of credit ratings for all sorts of municipal agencies? And do you think that with a declaration bankruptcy, Bobb would ever have had the buy-in from teachers to construct a different evaluation system? Impose one, maybe, but that wouldn’t mean it would be effective.

The simple fact is that Detroit’s teachers approved a contract that gave a substantial no-interest loan to the city schools and that changed the evaluation system. I understand the impatience with change, but this guest post is the educational equivalent of my fellow liberals who would like to kill health care reform because it doesn’t do enough and, more than that, will blame Harry Reid for the flaws in the legislation.

By: CJ Westerberg

CJ Westerberg — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:57:54 +0000

Is there a reason why my former message was blocked from this comment section – was it not relevant? Duly noted.

By: Linda/Retired Teacher

Linda/Retired Teacher — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:21:28 +0000

I have a solution to “Rubber Rooms.” If teachers follow my advice they will never end up in one:

Apply only to teach in high-scoring schools. If you can’t get a regular job in one of these schools, substitute in one of them. When a teacher becomes ill or quits abruptly, you will have a good chance of being hired. Another option is to teach in a private school until public schools have openings.

If you are already employed in a low-performing school, but are still young, get your applications out ASAP. It’s teacher-bashing time now because of the economy, but teachers are quite capable of playing the game.